Past President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing(SLIM) the National Body of Marketing in Sri Lanka and Deputy General Manager responsible for Liability Product Management, Digital Alternative Channels, Housing Loan Product Management and Marketing at  Seylan Bank, Tilan Wijeyesekera was recently awarded top honours at the prestigious Global Marketing Excellence Awards 2014 when he was bestowed with the award for ‘Marketing Professional of the Year’ one of the most prestigious awards of the event.

The Global Marketing Excellence Awards 2014 are a part of the World Marketing Congress, the single largest networking platform for the best marketers behind some of the world’s most successful and sought after brands. Held for the 11^th consecutive year, the World Marketing Congress is a non-profit event aimed at a professional cause of development and growth across the world.

“I’m deeply humbled and honoured by this global accolade which is an unequivocal endorsement of a long journey of dedication and commitment to excellence in the marketing and business sphere. I share this triumph with my team at SLIM, Seylan Bank and all my mentors over the years, in my career. An award of this calibre both rejuvenates and revitalises one’s continuing endeavors to greater excellence and spurs one on to greater heights”, Wijeyesekera said.

Tilan Wijeyesekera has a proven track record as a dynamic business and marketing professional with experience in leading local and multinational organisations in Strategic Planning, General Management, Business/Brand Management, CSR, NPD, Dark Marketing, Value Chain Management, Corporate Affairs, Project Management, Alternative Channels and Sales.

With extensive experience in diverse industries including FMCG, Banking, Insurance, Education and Financial Consultancy, he has also been responsible for many leading brands at leading organisations including Reckitt & Colman (Reckitt Benckiser), the John Keells F & B Group and Elephant House, Seylan, Janashakthi, Lion Brewery and Darley Butler.

He has won over 25 Brand/Marketing Excellence, Brand Icon, Business Excellence, Digital Marketing, Customer Engagement awards for brands under his leadership including Golds for Service Brand of the Year and Local Brand of the Year. Added to the portfolio are many other awards including Turnaround Brand and Innovative Brand at the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards and Brand Icon award for his brands as well as a Gold award at the National Business Excellence Awards for SLIM during his tenure as President.

Wijeyesekera is currently a DGM at Seylan Bank PLC and responsible for its Liability Products, Digital Alternative Channels, Housing Loan Product Management and Marketing. A senior lecturer for marketing, he has also represented Sri Lanka as an international speaker at many forums throughout the years. He was also named in Echelon Magazine’s Top 40 under 40” List as one of the Top 40 Persons under the age of 40 in business in Sri Lanka for two consecutive years in 2013 and 2014 and is one of the youngest corporate management members in the banking industry in Sri Lanka.

He is a Past President of SLIM, former Chairman of the Effie Awards, and was a Steering Committee Member of the Chillies creative awards and Judge at the Brand Excellence Awards, Effie awards and Marketing Roks awards.

Along with his accolade, Seylan Bank managed to sweep the Global Marketing Excellence awards this year with a total tally of 5 awards including Marketing Campaign of the year and Best Loyalty Program for Seylan Sure Savings brand and Best Revitalised Brand for Seylan Tikiri and the Best Use of Social Media award, thus becoming the most awarded organisation at this year’s awards in competition with brands and organisations from over 50 countries. In total Seylan Bank has won 11 awards so far this year for excellence in different spheres of marketing including branding, marketing excellence, campaigns, loyalty programs, customer engagement, turnaround / revitalisation and innovation as well as social media and digital marketing.

Photo caption: Mr. Tilan Wijeyesekera